In a case where a near field communication function such as a Wi-Fi (trademark) is utilized in such a kind of mobile communication terminal, usually, the mobile communication terminal accesses a wired LAN through a radio repeater called as an access point (AP). Such a radio repeater is provided only indoors and a limited place. Therefore, it is necessary for a user who intends to perform a near field communication to search a radio repeater. Although there is recently an internet service that provides information where radio repeaters are, a work for searching a radio repeater is still troublesome.
On the other hand, in a mobile communication terminal having a short-distance radio communication function, since a function that automatically searches a radio repeater and then connects to the same is provided in a short-distance radio communication circuit, a user who intends to utilize the short-distance radio communication always makes the short-distance radio communication circuit in an ON state. If so, since the short-distance radio communication circuit automatically searches a radio repeater (access point), it is unnecessary for a user himself/herself to manually search a radio repeater. However, because it is necessary to keep the short-distance radio communication circuit turning-on outdoors, consumption of a battery is large.
In order to search a radio repeater by using a short-distance radio communication circuit and to minimize consumption of a battery, the short-distance radio communication circuit may be turned-off if and when the mobile communication terminal goes outside and the short-distance radio communication circuit may be turned-on if and when the mobile communication terminal comes inside, but such an on/off operation is troublesome.
In the patent literature 1, a method that estimates whether existing outdoors or indoors by using a camera is disclosed. It can be conceived that the short-distance radio communication circuit is automatically turned-on/off by automatically determining whether existing outdoors or indoors by utilizing such a background art. Then, since a radio repeater can be automatically searched by turning-on the short-distance radio communication circuit as necessary, wasteful consumption of a battery can be suppressed and the user can be released from a troublesome manual operation for turning-on/off.
Patent literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open No. 2001-103002 [H04B 7/26 H01Q 3/24]